Living in the Spirit
October 19, 2016
Scripture Reading: Psalm 65
Praise is due to you,
O God, in Zion;
and to you shall vows be performed,
O you who answer prayer!
To you all flesh shall come.
When deeds of iniquity overwhelm us,
you forgive our transgressions.
Happy are those whom you choose and bring near
to live in your courts.
We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house,
your holy temple. –Psalm 65:1-4
Is it in human nature to be satisfied ever? Are we not constantly searching for something better, something more? Think about the last time you truly felt satisfied. Was it holding your newborn baby as it nursed for the first time? Was it after a good meal with loved ones? Was it upon the positive completion of a major project? Was it when you finally crossed the finish line of a marathon? How do your moments of satisfaction correlate with your goals and desires in life? Is satisfaction a side dish on your table of life choices?
God apparently wants us to know satisfaction as a routine part of our life. Just as apparent is our need to work toward satisfaction. Our Psalmist today invites us to seek satisfaction through praising God. He then suggests that fulfilling vows is a route to satisfaction. I fear we relegate vows to history. About the only time, we hear the word vow today is regarding marriage. The Hebrew word interpreted vow* is a votive offering, service pledged to God in the presence of a light source like a candle. What vows have we made to God? To what ministries have we pledged our hearts? Are we fulfilling those vows to our satisfaction?
Prayer is another path toward satisfaction. Does discussion of problems and issues with God lead to peace, which is a part of satisfaction? Do we share our joys with God recognizing God’s presence in answered prayer?
Forgiveness empowers us to learn from our mistakes and return to our journey of faith with a new energy that is a source of satisfaction. As we enter God’s gates with praise and thanksgiving, satisfaction is always waiting for us.
Prayer: Lord, in our ever-hectic world, help us to see the moments of satisfaction you bring to our lives. They make us whole again. Amen.
*http://biblehub.com/hebrew/5088.htm
All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.